


Victory March

by aerintine



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-05
Updated: 2012-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-12 01:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/805445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aerintine/pseuds/aerintine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There once was a boy who made all the wrong choices. All save one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Victory March

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is incredibly self-indulgent. It’s how I’m processing my feelings after 3x18, in advance of whatever plot machinations transpire before S3 ends. The revelation that (spoiler) Klaus’ death will also bring Tyler’s has been difficult. I wrote this to force the issue so I could deal. Bookended poem excerpts from _Snow and Dirty Rain_ , by Richard Siken. Thank you for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_We were in the gold room where everyone_  
 _finally gets what they want, so I said What do you_  
 _want, sweetheart? and you said Kiss me. Here I am_  
 _leaving you clues. I am singing now while Rome_  
 _burns. We are all just trying to be holy. My applejack,_  
 _my silent night, just mash your lips against me._  
 _We are all going forward. None of us are going back._

 

 

 

 

 

The tension in the room was palpable. The waiting was excruciating. But Bonnie had said everything had to be in perfect alignment for them to have a chance to execute their plan. The minutes ticked by. There was no guarantee any of it would work, but they had to try. Caroline said a silent prayer to anyone or thing that might be listening, asking that she might be brave, and that they’d all be strong. She also prayed for patience, because her nerves were ready to snap.

They did have a plan. It was a good plan. With contingencies, scenarios, alternate stratagems. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it was as close as they were likely to get. It was probably their last chance. They all knew going in that it could well be their last anything. Caroline was ready to play her part. She had to, not just for Elena and Tyler, but for herself as well. Klaus had taken too much from all of them, and she wouldn’t give him one inch of herself. She’d see him dead first, or die trying.

Elena was determined she would not be taken alive. No matter what. Everyone agreed. If it looked like they were going to lose, whoever was nearest to Elena would do it. It was a horrible option. But even if Klaus slaughtered them all, with Elena dead he could never make another hybrid. She’d already closeted herself with Stefan and Damon, and Caroline assumed they’d done some sort of freaky-deaky blood exchange. There hadn’t been much protest. They all knew the score. When Elena announced her intentions, there were somber nods all around. Bonnie had cried. Stefan stood apart from the others, scowling but silent. Elijah stood next to Elena, her constant shadow, making it clear he would do whatever was necessary. There would be no oath-breaking from him again. Caroline had hugged her friend and promised she’d make it quick if the task fell to her. Elena had smiled, a little indulgently, Caroline thought, and thanked her.

Damon was twitchy and anxious. He barked and cursed at anyone who spoke to him, pacing the room and pausing only to refill his tumbler from the crystal decanter on the sideboard. He was making everyone nervous. When Elena tried to say something about the drinking, he growled at her and smashed his glass to the floor. He grabbed the decanter, and, looking her dead in the eye, tilted it back and gulped. Elena glared at him in disgust.

“This isn’t helping, Damon,” said Caroline.

“Fuck off, Barbie.”

Caroline pressed her lips together in irritation. She walked stiffly over to where he stood, snatched the decanter from his fist, and took a long draught. He smirked. She cocked her head at him, curled her lip, and smashed the decanter into the side of his head.

“You fuck off,” she said.

He snarled and leapt at her. They crashed over the couch and smashed the coffee table.

“Bitch!”

“Asshole!”

“I said I’d help your flea-bitten boyfriend. What more do you want, you ungrateful little –“

“Shut your stupid mouth, you big – “

“Damon! Caroline! Stop!” Elena yelled.

“Would you idiots knock that shit off!” added Alaric, as he rose to intervene.

They paid them no heed.

They tore at each other, punching and biting. Caroline knew it was wrong, that they were meant to be fighting Klaus and not each other, but she couldn’t help herself. It felt _good_ to release even a little of the tension, to take her anxiety and make Damon bleed for it. It’s not like he didn’t have it coming. Damon always had it coming. Finally, they were forcibly pulled apart. Damon fought to get at Caroline, but Elijah held him by the scruff of the neck and he went nowhere. Tyler wrapped his arms around Caroline from behind, trapping her against him.

“Shh,” he crooned into her ear, “It’s okay, Caroline. Stop.”

She leaned back into his chest, hers heaving. He was here. He was _here_ , and everything was going to be okay.

“Both of you, stop this foolishness right now,” said Elijah. “You’re acting like feral cats.”

“She started it,” snapped Damon, struggling feebly to get out of Elijah’s iron grip.

Caroline rolled her eyes. When she relaxed, Tyler let her go. He took her hand and led her to the couch.

“We can’t do this right now, guys,” said Elena. “We have to be together on this. Just put whatever it is away until after, okay?”

Damon huffed.

“Fine.”

“Caroline?”

She nodded. Tyler squeezed her hand and pressed a kiss to her temple. She gave him a small smile, but then threw a glare at Damon for good measure. Vampire makers or sires or whatever were seriously the worst.

Elijah released Damon, but not before giving him a quick, forceful shake. The message was clear. Damon shrugged and straightened his shirt. When he went to resume his pacing, Elena stepped in front of him. She pressed a hand to his chest and looked at him with a pleading expression. They seemed to communicate wordlessly for a long moment, and then Damon closed his eyes and nodded once. Elena appeared satisfied at that, and returned to where Bonnie sat on the floor, her back straight, focusing her breathing. Damon slumped against the wall next to Stefan. His brother gave him a sideways glance, eyebrow raised, but said nothing.

Thirty minutes passed. An hour. Conversations quieted, slowed, and then stopped. One by one, everyone became aware of the energy in the room and, turning their focus to Bonnie, waited silently for what might come next. Bonnie continued breathing, slowly and evenly. Everyone watched her, and eventually moved in sequence to sit in a circle around her. All breathed in the same cadence as the witch. In. Out. In. Out. Stefan had moved closer to Damon, their shoulders pressed tightly together as they breathed as one. Elena touched Bonnie’s knee while they breathed in tandem. Matt, Elijah, Alaric, Caroline, Tyler. In. Out. In. The air in the room grew thick with magic.

Caroline looked at Tyler; his eyes were dilated and bright amber. She knew hers were red and shining. He brought a hand up to cup her face. In. Out. In. Out. She smiled at him as she breathed through her half-open mouth. She could feel the connection running through all of them, pulling them together and sharing each other’s strength. She felt a tingling where Tyler’s fingers touched her face. Energy crackled all around them.

“Tyler.” Bonnie stared at them as she spoke, and Tyler turned away from Caroline to focus on the witch. In. Out. He rose and moved to sit in front of Bonnie. Bonnie reached for one of Tyler’s hands. She held it open, palm up. Bonnie took a small knife she’d been holding and pierced the flesh of Tyler’s palm. Caroline smelled the blood welling. Her rhythmic breathing became more forceful. In. Out. In. Out.

Bonnie laid her palm against Tyler’s. When she pulled it back it was coated in his blood, red and gleaming. In. Out. She turned to her right, hand up. Elena brought her hand up to meet with Bonnie’s, palm to palm. When they’d pressed together for a moment, Bonnie nodded and Elena turned to Damon. They repeated the gesture, pressing their hands together and spreading Tyler’s blood. In. Out. In. It continued this way around the circle as they breathed, their synchronized breaths a silent chant. Out. In.

When the circle was complete and Matt touched palms with Bonnie, she turned back to Tyler and raised her hand to his forehead. She touched him with one finger, leaving a small smear of blood on his skin. In. Out. In. Out.In.Out. InOutInOutInOut They breathed faster, the energy in the room swirling and raising a wind made of breath, whipping around the circle.

Caroline felt it move through her when the spell took hold. With a jolt, everyone in the circle stopped breathing and seized forward. Their breath returned a moment later, leaving them panting and gasping. Bonnie fell backwards, saved from hitting her head on the floor by Matt’s quick motion to catch her.

“It’s done,” said Bonnie. “With any luck, we’ve bound your blood to everyone in the circle, Tyler. When Klaus dies, hopefully his bond with you will be cut.”

“Hopefully?” asked Tyler.

“I’m sorry, there’s no way to be sure. I’m flying blind here. For all we know the spell we just did made it so that if Klaus kills one of us, the blood you shared with us will take your life. Or we could be bound to you so that if you’re harmed, we’re harmed too. Or, it might not have done a thing.”

Tyler looked at the floor, uneasy. The others in the circle exchanged uncomfortable looks.

“Hey,” said Bonnie, resting her hand on Tyler’s thigh. “Tyler, it’s okay. We all knew what we were signing on for.”

“Yes,” said Stefan. “We’re in this together. All of us.” He looked from Damon to Elena.

“I feel strong, Ty,” said Matt. “I think at the very least the spell did something strength-wise for us measly humans.” He smiled at Tyler in encouragement.

“Matt’s right,” said Elena. “I feel different too.”

Caroline leaned forward and touched her hand to Tyler’s shoulder. He pressed into her automatically.

“Cheer up, Tin Tin,” piped Damon. “Worst case scenario, Bonnie’s mojo made sure we’ll all die together. That’ll be neat.” Tyler looked at him sharply. Damon slapped his hands on his knees and looked quickly around the circle. “So. Should we go?” He winced when Elena elbowed him hard in the ribs and Stefan slapped the back of his head.

“Though I’d as soon tear out his tongue as agree with anything Damon says, he’s right,” said Elijah. “We’ve sealed our common strength. We should execute our plans before the spell has time to dissipate. Rebekah can only keep Niklaus occupied for so long before he'll grow suspicious.”

Nods of agreement were followed by a flurry of movement as everyone armed themselves and reviewed the plan. Caroline pulled Tyler away from the parlor and into the alcove behind the stairs. She saw Elena lead Damon and Stefan towards the library. She smiled to herself; everyone was so obvious. She was admittedly a bit surprised to see Matt following Bonnie into the main floor bathroom, but hey no judgment. This was Armageddon, and they all had their goodbyes to give.

“You know what to do, right?” She looked at Tyler, serious eyes full of questions.

“Yes, Caroline. We’ve been over it and over it. I got this. You clear on you?”

She nodded.

“Crystal. Bait I am again.” She shrugged. “It’s no big. I’m good at it. I’ll just flash Klaus a little shoulder and distract him so Elijah can – “

Tyler growled and cut her off with a searing kiss. She melted against him, plans forgotten. He’d come home to her. She felt as though he’d been gone forever, and even though she knew he’d had to do it, it hurt her that they’d missed out on so much time. He seemed determined to make it up to her right now. He pressed her into the wall in the darkened alcove, his lips earnest against hers as their mouths moved together.

She gave herself over to the sensation for a little while, but eventually mustered all her willpower to gently push him away. He sighed against her lips, pressing into her hands where she braced them on his chest.

“Just a little longer,” he murmured, his voice husky.

“Later,” she whispered. “We’ll have all the time in the world after.”

He pressed his lips to hers again, fast and harsh. She whimpered.

“Tyler…”

He let out a ragged breath.

“I know. I know, Caroline. Later.”

They reluctantly disentangled themselves, and, hands clasped tight, joined the rest of the group to head out.

The plan was simple, really. Bonnie set up a sacred circle in a clearing in the woods near town. Rebekah would lure Klaus there on the pretense of meeting Elijah, who’d volunteered to procure Elena so they could leave Mystic Falls together as a family. Once they entered the circle, they’d be bound there until the rest of the posse arrived to kill Klaus and his pack of hybrid minions. Their combined strength would ensure Alaric, Matt, and Elena would be helpful in the fight. Bonnie would cast a second spell once everyone was in place, confusing Klaus so his reactions would be slower and clumsier. Being the strongest among them, Elijah would carry the stake and kill his brother.

At least, in theory this was how it was supposed to work. There were no certainties, other than if they failed Elena would die, along with most if not all of the rest of them. Caroline tried not to think about it, focusing instead on giving the performance of her life.

 

 

Klaus and Rebekah were where they were supposed to be, Rebekah reclining against a rock while Klaus stood with arms folded. Elijah entered the circle with Elena in tow, his grip tight around her upper arm. Elena looked ready to spit nails at the way she was being treated. _She’s really convincing_ , Caroline thought, as she walked beside them. Elena's acting skills emboldened Caroline. She straightened her spine.

“Well, well, Elijah. I see you’ve managed to complete your task without mucking up the works for once.” He looked Caroline up and down. She tried not to shudder, making her face as neutral as possible. “But I don’t recall asking you to invite the lovely Caroline to join our party.”

“She was with Elena when I went to collect her. She insisted on accompanying me,” Elijah said with admirable stoicism. Elena looked like she was about to say something, but a squeeze from Elijah’s hand on her arm had her wincing and keeping silent. Caroline cleared her throat.

“That’s right. If you think you can take my friend away and I won’t come with her, you’re crazy.”

“Your loyalty is admirable, sweetheart.” He smiled congenially. “But I have to wonder that you’d think I’d allow you to tag along when we both know you’ll snatch my girl away from me the first chance you get.”

Caroline nodded. “True. But if I’ve learned anything in the past few months, it’s that you have ways of getting what you want. I don’t want to cause trouble and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just want to be there for my friend.” She took a deep breath. This was it. She could do this, tell the biggest whopper of them all and mean it. “And, I don’t just want to go for Elena’s sake.”

“Oh?” His smile was amused and curious now.

“I – I want to go for me, too.” She looked at him through lowered lashes, her expression coy.

“Caroline!” Elena was indignant. “What are you talking about? You can’t go with him willingly for, for - ”

Klaus chuckled.

“Really. Do you take me for a fool, Caroline?”

“No, that’s the point. I don’t.” She turned to Elena. “It’s okay, Elena.” She shifted her focus back to Klaus, looking him straight in the eye. “What else is there to say? I’ve graduated. College sounds pointless. And you - you promised to show me things. The world. I’m here to hold you to that.” She nodded and swallowed down her nervousness, standing firm in his gaze. She couldn’t afford to falter, even a little. She just had to keep him talking a bit longer.

“Hmm. The idea is intriguing, I have to admit.” He tapped a finger to his lips. “I suppose I could let you come along, with certain conditions.”

“Fine,” she said. She tried to smile, but settled for a half-grin. “Shoot.”

“This is boring,” Rebekah interrupted. “Bring her or don’t bring her, I don’t care. The longer we stand here chatting each other up about it, the less time we have before the Salvatores realize their precious Elena is gone and come looking for us.” She looked pointedly at Klaus. “I’d like to be as far away from this place as possible before that happens. Wouldn’t you, dear brother?”

“Right you are, sister. We can discuss all this later, yes.”

As he spoke, there was a rustling in the trees. All of them immediately diverted their attention.

“What on earth?” Elijah said.

At that moment, something bounced in the dirt. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a bloody heart. Suspicions were confirmed as its former hybrid owner came sailing out of the trees and skidded to a halt near their feet.

“Too late,” said Klaus. “You were followed.” He grabbed Caroline roughly by the shoulders. “If you’re responsible for this…”

“No, I swear!” She looked at his irate face, and affected her best panicked look. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

“She’s telling the truth, Niklaus. She hasn’t left my sight since I took Elena. Someone must have seen us.”

“Stop them!” Klaus snapped, “and for goodness sake, protect Elena!”

Shouts erupted from the woods. They could hear fighting in all directions. Elijah shoved Elena at Rebekah and turned to block his brother from whatever attack might come at them. Rebekah pulled Elena to her chest and backed towards the edge of the circle. Klaus had not yet discovered he couldn’t leave the spelled boundary. Caroline hoped her friends could finish dispatching the hybrids before he figured out the ruse. She was scared, but held her ground. She tried to look like she was frightened of the commotion, and not reveal the truth, which was that being in close proximity to a pissed off Original who could decide to kill her at any moment was making all her alarm bells sound at once.

Klaus called to Elijah, trying to determine how many there were, but the shouts were coming from everywhere. Hybrids continued to stumble into the clearing, missing hearts and heads as they fell.

Then suddenly, they were in view. Stefan flew into the clearing, barreling into the gut of a tall dark-haired hybrid. He pinned it down and with a roar, ripped its throat out with his fangs before smashing his fist through the minion’s chest wall like it was papier mache. He pulled his hand back, now full of dripping heart muscle, and flung it away. He leapt to his feet as Damon appeared across the circle, bloodied to his elbows, gore smeared across the front of his shirt. They nodded to each other. Elena called out to them, her face a mess of tears and desperation.

“We’re here, Elena,” called Stefan. But both brothers were overtaken in that moment by more hybrids, and got subsumed again in the fight.

Bonnie appeared next. A pillar of fire erupted in the middle of the circle as she strode from the trees, palms out in front of her, pushing the weight of her magic before her. She murmured a low chant as she moved. Klaus staggered and shook his head. It looked like her confusion spell was working. _Please, please, please,_ Caroline prayed. _Please work. Just a little longer._

Alaric and Matt emerged from the trees to the south, teaming up against a hybrid with an axe and a short sword. Matt managed to pin the hybrid’s arms long enough for Alaric to bury his axe in its chest. When it fell forward, Matt cleaved its head with the sword.

Caroline searched the darkness beyond the fire with her eyes. When she finally saw Tyler, her heart leapt and she let out a relieved breath. He was wrestling with a hybrid far off to her right, near the trees. His fangs snapped as he growled at his opponent. They appeared to be evenly matched, and Tyler struggled to gain the upper hand. The hybrid landed a stiff upper cut to Tyler’s jaw and pushed him to the ground. It wrapped its hands around Tyler’s neck. Caroline watched him struggle.

“Tyler, no!” she shouted before she could stop herself.

Her outburst drew Klaus’ attention.

When Klaus saw Tyler, his face contorted in anger. He glanced from Caroline’s frantic face to the scuffle between his soldier and his sired hybrid. After looking back to make sure Rebekah still had Elena, Klaus bolted towards them with a sneer, only to be flung back when he reached the edge of the barrier.

Shaking himself, he turned towards Caroline. His face was a mask of fury. He advanced on her.

“Tricks!” he shouted at her. “Spells and tricks and sweet golden smiles. You conniving bitch. I should tear your heart from your chest.”

“Klaus, no, I didn’t mean – “

“Save it. When this is done, I’ll let you watch me take my traitorous little dog apart piece by piece. Would you like that, my darling? I’ll serve you his blood with cream. He’ll slide down your smooth throat with ease, I wager.”

“Don’t you dare touch him.” Caroline’s face was hard and angry now. “You’re sick. Haven’t you hurt him – _all_ of us – enough?” Out of the corner of her eye she could see Elijah carefully approaching them.

“Not nearly,” he spat. He looked up at the sky in exasperation. “Isn’t there anyone here with any sense of loyalty? Am I doomed to find betrayal everywhere I turn?”

Caroline stared hard at him and shrugged.

“You reap what you sow, I guess.”

“Little cunt. You dare speak to me like that?” He stepped into her space and grabbed her by the throat. Elijah was right there. Caroline steadied her jaw. With a sense of courage she hadn’t known she possessed, she reared back an inch and spit in Klaus’ face.

“Fuck you.”

Klaus smiled viciously as he wiped the spittle from his nose and cheek. Then he calmly stepped back and, still gripping her throat, backhanded her hard with his other hand.

The blow stunned her. Her knees buckled and he dropped her to the ground. She looked up to see Elijah preparing for the killing blow. Klaus kicked her in the face and she fell again. Dimly, she heard a roar from somewhere to her right. She tried to sit up but the dizziness was too much. She collapsed again while her bones knitted themselves back together and the throbbing in her head eased.

The moments that followed seemed to Caroline to happen in slow motion.

She looked up to see Elijah raise his arm, stake in hand. Faster than her eyes could track, Klaus spun around and caught his brother’s wrist, smashing it in his grip. Elijah cried out. Klaus thrust something at his chest and Elijah gasped, his face going gray. He pitched forward into his brother’s arms, the previously unseen dagger protruding from his sternum. The white oak stake clattered to the ground and away from them.

She didn’t think. She just moved. Quicker than should have been possible in her compromised state, Caroline scrambled for the stake. Klaus hadn’t even noticed yet. She looked around and saw Tyler moving towards them, his eyes on her as he ran. Before she could second guess, she tossed the stake to him, then struggled to her feet. In the split second that it took Klaus to turn towards her, Tyler jammed the stake into his sire’s back with all the strength in his body. Klaus screamed as the white oak hit its mark and then exploded through the front of his chest. He dropped Elijah. He looked down at the protruding wood and grabbed onto it, tugging. Coughed once. Then fell. There was a brief moment of silence before he groaned and flames ignited around the wood and over his body.

Tyler staggered backwards. Caroline caught him when he started to trip. He grabbed onto her arm and shoulder and steadied himself. They stared in shock at the tableau on the ground before them.

Rebekah let Elena go and ran over to Klaus. She pushed Elijah away from the burning corpse before extracting the dagger from his chest. She was openly weeping. Elijah came back to himself almost immediately. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw his brother alight with flames. He reached out and touched Klaus’ foot, his other hand wrapped around Rebekah’s ankle. A small shudder went through them. They were still for a long moment. Rebekah helped her big brother to his feet. He wrapped an arm around her and, after nodding in Elena’s direction, led his sister away. Caroline was pretty sure this would be the last they’d see of them.

At the edges of her vision she could see the rest of her friends moving into the circle. Elena hurried to touch Stefan’s face, then Damon’s, looking for signs of injury. Matt limped forward and stood next to Bonnie, who was swaying on weary feet.

Alaric lay on the ground just outside the circle, his neck snapped during the fight. He’d be fine soon enough. It seemed they’d all pulled through. Caroline was so relieved she could hardly focus.

She moved away from the intense heat Klaus’s body was giving off, Tyler right behind her. He looked gobsmacked when she turned to him.

“We did it.” He laughed, short and incredulous. “I can’t believe we actually did it. He’s gone, Caroline. It’s over. We’re okay. We’re free. And I’m fine, look at me. The spell worked. Oh my God, I’m _free._ ” His smile was full of awed wonder.

He wrapped his arms around her and swung her in a quick circle. She yelped in surprised delight and smiled widely. Tyler’s face was radiant.

“I’m never letting you go again, you hear me?”

Caroline nodded, overcome. She captured his lips. Klaus was dead and Tyler was hers, free and clear, and she loved him. She was stunned – but happy. So happy. She smiled against his mouth when he laughed his breath into her. She clung to him, drinking him in. He tasted of sweat and fire, relief and… blood? But –

She pulled away and looked at him. She touched a finger to her tongue and drew it away. It was smeared red. What?

“Tyler?”

He searched her face.

“What is it?”

“Your mouth – “

He stepped towards her again and then stopped, obviously confused. He worked his jaw and touched his fingers to his lips. His eyes darted around. A sharp bloom of red blossomed at the edge of one nostril. He looked back at her horrified face, puzzled.

Caroline stared, terrified, as the blossom became a stream, running down and over his lips. He was starting to look as scared as she was.

“Caroline – ”

He reached for her but stumbled and fell at her feet, his body beginning to twitch.

“Tyler!” Caroline dropped to her knees next to him. She skated her hands frantically over him, not knowing where to touch, what to do. “Oh, no. Oh no no no no _Tyler!_ ”

She couldn’t think. She had to do something, say something. She only had seconds, she knew. She had no time. She had to make time. Oh, God, she needed more time. She threw herself over his shaking body. Worked an arm around his back and clutched him to her. Pressed her face to his ear. Her hair settled around their heads and blanketed them in gold. She reached with her other hand and stroked his hair, his face, his neck, everywhere she could reach. She didn’t think. She just started whispering, close and urgent.

“Tyler, listen to me now. I’ll tell you a story, okay? Once upon a time there was a boy. And this boy, he made all the wrong choices. All but one. He loved a girl with all his heart. He loved her more than any boy has ever loved a girl before or since. And when his heart chose her, he loved her for the rest of his life.”

Caroline continued stroking his hair as she whispered in his ear. She was as quiet as she could possibly be, her words for him only.

“Now the miracle of this story is that she loved him back. And she never forgot him. Long after he-“ her breath hitched as she spoke, “after he died, while she was slouching her way towards forever, she remembered him. His love stayed with her.” She pressed her lips to the soft skin behind the shell of his ear. Swallowed a sob. “Forever, Tyler. That’s how long his love for her lasted. That’s how long you’ll be with me.” She kissed his earlobe, his temple, the base of his jaw. “So you see, it’s okay. You can let go. I’ll hold on for both of us.”

She lifted her head and looked down at his face. He stared at her, but she couldn’t tell if he was really seeing her. Tears fell from her chin and the tip of her nose, painting his face. She pressed on, her voice rising.

“I love you, Tyler. So, so much. I should’ve told you sooner, but –“ She took a small breath. Her chin trembled. “Wherever you’re going, don’t forget me, okay?”

Tyler continued to shake. He looked at her as blood bubbled and frothed from his mouth. He raised a quivering hand towards Caroline’s face. She grabbed it and pressed it to her cheek. She felt the same tingle as before during the spell. She could feel him. He shot through her, and she gasped.

_He saw the sun shining in the night sky. How curious, he thought, that he could see her this clearly in the dark. She was dazzling, brighter than he’d ever seen the sun, but it didn’t hurt his eyes to look. She was warm and soft. She beckoned him. He opened his mouth to greet her. She wrapped herself around him. She loved him. He smiled and sighed._

“Thank you, Tyler. For taking care of me.”

The boy was quiet now. She could see he was gone. She pressed her forehead to his and let out an anguished sob. As she cried, a thought occurred to her. She smiled past her tears and raised her head to see his face clearly.

“You know what, Tyler? I was wrong. Our friendship _was_ perfect. _We_ were perfect.”

She placed a kiss to his bloodied lips. He tasted of wilderness and wildness. Of flint and moon-soaked earth.

 

 

When Caroline looked up again, the world had not ended. Only minutes had passed. It was still night. Trees surrounded them, eerie sentinels in the light of the fire. The charred remains of Klaus’ body continued to sputter and smoke several yards away. Bonnie sat at the edge of the sacred circle, slumped in exhaustion against Matt’s shoulder. Elena was pressed to Damon’s chest, Stefan behind her, one hand absently stroking her hair. Alaric moaned as he came to. Everyone was looking in her direction, faces grief-stricken, blank, shocked. Tyler lay dead in her arms.

She sniffed and wiped her sleeve roughly across her face. They’d won. This was what victory felt like. Her answered prayers gnawed at the back of her throat like bile. She licked her lips, tasting the last of Tyler’s life that clung to them with salt and copper. There was nothing else to ask for.

She took a deep breath. When she let it out, her human life was finally over.

“I’m going to take him home now.”

Caroline’s voice cut through the night like a blade.

Elena nodded, her face streaked with tears.

“Can I help?” a voice asked.

Caroline blinked, surprised. It was Damon who spoke.

“No. I can hold him,” she said.

Damon nodded.

When no one else said anything, Caroline situated Tyler more comfortably in the circle of her arms and stood. He was so light. He hardly weighed a thing. His head lolled, so she moved her shoulder and he rolled towards her, his faced pressed to the crook of her neck. She stood in the firelight for a beat, then turned and carried him away.

Memories and snippets of conversation played in her mind as she walked through the woods. The ground was soft and thick, yielding quietly beneath her steps as she bore Tyler onward. She thought she could still feel him. He swirled around her as the last wisps of the spell kept them connected. She breathed. In. Out.

 

_“What do you think about these jeans?”_  
 _“They’re hot.”_  
 _“Really? You don’t think the pockets are weird?”_  
 _“Nope, definitely hot.”_  
 _“What about these earrings?”_  
 _He nodded. “Hot.”_  
 _She narrowed her eyes at him. “And these socks?”_  
 _“Hot as the sun,” he said with conviction._  
 _“You are terrible at this.”_  
 _“What?” He gaped at her, all innocence and incredulity. “You’re hot. Everything you touch is hot. Deal with it.”_  
 _She quirked her mouth and smiled at him. “Okay, so maybe you’re better at this than I thought.”_  
 _“Damn straight.”_

 

In and out. Tyler’s hair tickled her jaw. She pressed her cheek to the top of his head and felt it sway gently as they moved.

 

 _“Do you miss him?”_  
 _“Who?”_  
 _“Mayor Lo – your dad.”_  
“Oh. _Let’s not talk about him, Caroline.”_  
 _“But I worry that you’re not dealing with your grief, Tyler. You shouldn’t bottle things up. You should get them out so your insides are healthy and bottle-free.”_  
 _“Okay fine,” he sighed. “Sometimes I do, I guess. But it’s not good. I’ll think about him, remember how he was, and it’s –it’s all I can do not to burn the house down.”_  
 _“Oh,” she said. After a pause she offered, “You know, sometimes all you need is a good bottling. Just, hold all of it in and don’t let it go.”_  
 _“Yeah?” He looked amused._  
 _“Yeah,” she said, “definitely keep that held tight inside. Lock and key, you bet.”_

 

The arm closest to her pressed into her breasts, a steady ache. She held him tighter and kept breathing. In and out, the rhythm steady.

 

_“What if it never gets easier?”_  
 _She looked up at him from her milkshake with a quizzical expression. He swirled his spoon around his glass, melted ice cream painting its sides._  
 _“The turning, I mean. What if it never gets better?”_  
 _“It will,” she said. “Mason said it does, and it will. Don’t worry.”_  
 _“But what if –“_  
 _“What, Tyler?”_  
 _“What if it doesn’t?” He met her concerned gaze. “What if it’s always this horrible? What if it drives me insane?”_  
 _“It won’t.” There was certainty in her voice._  
 _“How can you know that?”_  
 _“Because you’ve got me, that’s why. I would never let that happen. You’ll be fine.”_  
 _“Do I?” he asked._  
 _“What?”_  
 _“Have you?”_  
 _She smiled as she reached across and laid her hand over his arm._  
 _“Tyler, duh. I’m your friend. You’ll always have me. I’ll make sure you don’t go nuts, okay?”_  
 _He nodded and looked at the table._  
 _“Thanks, Caroline.”_  
 _She patted his arm._  
 _“Of course. Now finish your shake, it’s melting.”_

 

Her vision was blury. She kept moving. In and out.

The lights of the Lockwood house shook and wavered before her gaze as she carried Tyler across the lawn. Carol’s screams surrounded her in confusing cacophony when Caroline crossed the threshold carrying her son’s body. The harsh light of the living room made her blink. Caroline gently placed Tyler on the couch and stood back, mute, while Carol fell to her knees next to him.

“Tyler? Oh no no, my boy. Oh, God. What happened, Caroline?”

“He saved us. I brought him home.”

Carol looked at her, wild-eyed.

“What? But the spell. Bonnie was going to – he was supposed to be -”

“It didn’t work. Klaus is dead. Tyler killed him. He saved us.”

Carol stared at the blank face of the blood-soaked girl for a moment, then nodded. She rose to look her over closer. Her anguished expression took on a note of concern.

“Caroline, you’re bleeding.”

Caroline looked down at herself. Her shirt clung to her skin where blood had soaked through the fabric. She could see blood matted in the ends of her hair. Her chest, stomach, arms. Her hands…

“It’s not mine,” she said.

Carol’s face crumpled.

“Oh. I see. Well, let me – “

“I have to go,” said Caroline.

Carol started to reach for her, but caught herself when Caroline flinched. She nodded again.

“Okay, Caroline. It’s all right, sweetheart. I’ve got him.”

Caroline nodded and turned away.

“Caroline.”

She stopped.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For taking care of him.”

Caroline closed her eyes against a fresh bout of tears. She glanced back. Tyler’s fingers grazed the floor where his arm hung limp from the couch. The skin of his hand was gray and pinched. It was all wrong.

A memory, sudden and piercing, overtook her.

 

_Tyler’s fingers interlaced with hers while he pressed her hand to his chest. He smiled when she looked up at him from where her head rested on his shoulder. His fingernails were ragged from using them to trim his pencils. The whorls of his fingertips were permanently stained with charcoal. She’d once tried telling him that’s why God invented pencil sharpeners, but he’d only rolled his eyes. She toyed with his fingers, weaving hers in and out of them, running her fingertips over the roughness of his knuckles._  
 _He made her feel like so much more than she thought she was. He made her believe she might be something good. Better, even._  
 _“I want you to draw me like one of your French girls,” she said teasingly._  
 _He chuckled, and wagged his eyebrows at her._  
 _“Maybe tomorrow,” he said._  
 _She turned away for a moment to switch off the lamp, and then settled back into his embrace._  
 _“Tomorrow, then,” she said. “It’s a date.”_  
 _She kissed him softly, and started laughing when he squirmed against her like an eager puppy. He growled and buried his face in her neck as he rolled her under him. She was still giggling when he –_

 

“You’re welcome,” she said, voice soft.

 

She walked out into the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

fin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
[ ](http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa399/jnb71976/The%20Vampire%20Diaries/?action=view&current=tumblr_lkfqwdRxmh1qzhgu4o1_r1_500.gif)

_I had a dream about you. We were in the gold room_  
 _where everyone finally gets what they want._  
 _You said Tell me about your books, your visions made_  
 _of flesh and light and I said This is the Moon. This is_  
 _the Sun. Let me name the stars for you. Let me take you there._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**


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